


beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves

by cherylbarrel



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, Blood, F/F, Gore, Jealous Cheryl Blossom, Jealous Toni Topaz, Murder, Murder Mystery, Pillow Talk, Psychopathology & Sociopathy, Running Away, Strippers & Strip Clubs, This shit is weird, Very AU, a little ooc, choni, detective toni, not sure if it even makes sense but I had fun with it so posting anyway, stripper cheryl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-25 13:31:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18575458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherylbarrel/pseuds/cherylbarrel
Summary: A woman walks into the club halfway through Cheryl’s set.One she’s never seen before, one that has hair like bubblegum and an aroma like lavender fields.It only takes one look for Cheryl to know this woman is sickening.But Cheryl's always adored the clinical taste of cherry flavoured medicine.//This fic is an incomprehensible jumble of metaphors and murder, beware.Inspired by The Wolf Among Us.





	beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves

**Author's Note:**

> Ok! before we get started, make sure you glance at the tags for potential trigger warnings. in addition to what's in the tags there's also brief domestic abuse and very brief self harm themes. 
> 
> now then, you should know this fic is kinda weird and doesn't make a whole lot of sense at times. it lacks a lot of details and has somewhat of a quick pace but that's kinda just the style of it? idk man the idea came to me and I ran with it. but quick disclaimer, if you like your fics to be extremely in character and relatively canon compliant, this one isn't for you. 
> 
> ALSO a very important little note is that this is inspired by the wolf among us game. this fic is a completely unique plot and creation, but I draw a lot of inspiration, and play with a lot of the themes from the wolf among us series. so full credit where it's due. 
> 
> anyway, I hope you like it! and if not...uh that's fine too.

The crimson stained lips are the first thing Cheryl’s eyes are drawn too. 

It isn’t just the lipstick that makes the colour red deliciously pop against lifeless skin. 

It’s the blood that sits so pretty on Heather’s slightly parted lips that truly catch her attention. Not even her frozen, hazel eyes, or the snow white bone that protrudes from her neck, could deter Cheryl’s ever attentive gaze on those satin lips, that she knows so well taste of honey and destruction. 

She screams. 

Tries not to think about the fact that she stood stock still for fifteen minutes staring at the head of her ex-lover, and doesn’t stop screaming, even after Reggie and Veronica are beckoned outside from the noise. 

Of course they are the ones to find her. 

Everyone else had already gone home, but Cheryl doesn’t doubt that Reggie and Veronica had stayed late to fuck on all the furniture before sunrise. 

She’s not sure when she stops screaming. 

She only remembers Reggie’s skin complexion practically turning green as he held back the urge to vomit, and covered Heather’s decapitated head with his jacket. And she remembers the smell of jasmine and vanilla, Veronica’s shampoo, before finding herself in the back of a Taxi and being taken home. 

The next morning she wakes up, takes a shower, and it isn’t until she’s spreading cherry jam over a piece of whole wheat toast, that she remembers Heather died last night. 

— 

Cheryl doesn’t like the way everyone is looking at her the next night she shows up for work. 

Reggie discreetly pulls her aside, and asks her if she’d like to take a few nights off. 

Cheryl tells him to fuck off. 

Reggie doesn’t bring it up again. 

She performs as per usual. 

It’s a routine she’s gotten dangerously good at over the last year. 

She’s sitting at her vanity, staring at her stunning reflection in the mirror as she applies a thick coating of lipgloss to two plump, pink lips. Once that’s done, she lowers the wand, and instead puts her fingers to work delicately snatching up a red ribbon before tying it around her neck, finishing the knot with a perfect bow that kisses her skin. 

She’s devastatingly beautiful. 

And she knows it. 

Tina and Ginger enter the backroom, watching Cheryl through their false lashes, and whispering about her behind their manicured fingertips. 

Cheryl’s eyes easily spot them standing behind her in her mirror. 

They are not the only ones who have been looking at her like she’s crazy. 

She hates it. 

She’s not crazy, she’s _beautiful_. 

“Do you have something to say to me?” Cheryl’s voice cuts sharply through their whispers. 

Long, pale legs carry Cheryl towards the two girls, not stopping until she’s stood right in front of them, towering over their terrified faces. 

“N-No,” Tina pathetically shakes her head, Ginger holding tightly onto her friend’s shoulder. 

Cheryl plasters a smile as sweet as sugar onto her face, looking down at the two with a certain sparkle in her eye as she says, “Better keep it that way. You wouldn’t want to lose your pretty heads,” she touches the tip of her index finger to Ginger’s chin, almost as if she’s examining it. 

Both girl’s eyes dramatically widen, the fear all but pooling out of them, as they scurry away back out into the hall, leaving Cheryl alone once again. 

—

Veronica shows up at her apartment Thursday morning. 

She has pastries and coffee in her hands when she does, and Cheryl lets her in out of boredom more than anything else. 

“How are you doing?” Veronica asks her softly. 

Both women are seated at Cheryl’s small kitchen table, Cheryl’s fingers pick at a half eaten muffin sitting on a napkin in front of her. Veronica’s watching her cautiously over the rim of her coffee cup, and the look makes Cheryl want to throw hot coffee all over the brunette’s face. 

“I’m fine,” she smiles instead. 

Veronica takes a deep breath. 

“It’s alright if you aren’t…it’s only been three days, Cheryl. It takes time to grieve but you’ll get through this.” 

Cheryl furrows her brows in sudden confusion. 

“…Three days?” She slowly recites. 

Veronica nods, “Three days since…you know…Heather.” 

Ah. Yes. 

That. 

Cheryl has to stop forgetting about that pesky little incident. 

“Three days,” Cheryl agrees with a nod, and then, “Sounds like old news to me.” 

Veronica sighs as she brings a hand to rest on her temple. 

“I know you don’t mean that, but we all cope in our own ways so I’m just going to pretend I didn’t hear it.” 

Veronica then quickly jumps to what she deems more pressing issues, “Listen, I came by to let you know that Reggie hired a private investigator, it’s a little…off the books though, if you know what I mean. She’s coming to the club tonight to check things out and ask questions. Just, corporate with her, ok? And try not to let it seem like she’s there as anyone else but another, normal customer.” 

Cheryl takes her time digesting the words. 

“A private investigator?” She wonders. 

Veronica reaches out to grab Cheryl’s hand, and instinctually Cheryl presses her nails down into the fleshy palm of her free hand, the delicious sting distracting her from Veronica’s clammy touch. 

“The police still don’t know,” she carefully reveals, “and we’d like to keep it that way. Reggie is on thin enough ice as it is, something like this would surely shut us down. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to get to the bottom of this, he cares about us girls, truly,” Veronica tells her like the information is supposed to be some form of comfort to Cheryl. 

He cares about _you_ , Cheryl thinks. 

No doubt in her mind does Reggie Mantle care about perfect, prissy, little Veronica Lodge. Cares about her body, cares about the way she feels against his rough, over eager man hands, cares about the private dances she performs for him after hours. 

What a whore. What a dirty, disgraceful, sinful, _deviant_ —

“Cheryl?” Veronica prods after a moment goes by without the redhead uttering a single word in response. 

Cheryl slips her hand free from the other woman’s, a wide smile coming back to rest on her lips after her momentary lapse in control. 

“No problem, Ronnie. I promise to be on my best behaviour with the investigator,” The honey coated words that drip from her mouth are music to Veronica’s ears, and that’s all it takes to get the brunette off her case. 

Cheryl doesn’t realize that her nails are still imbedded in her palm until her apartment door shuts behind Veronica. 

She pries her nails free shakily, eyes fixating on the bloody little crescent moons left for her as a reward for staying in control so well. 

— 

Cheryl’s dancing on stage, the music thumping in her ears and travelling all the way to her heart, as her hands passionately roam her body, and attracts the eyes of every man and woman here. 

Obviously. 

Cheryl’s the sweetest thing in this whole club, people would kill for even the tiniest taste of her.

Not that they’ll ever get it. 

Usually Cheryl pays close attention to the many eyes that find themselves glued to her perfect body. She likes the feel of all those eyes on her, they’re nothing like the eyes of her pitiful coworkers, instead they are eyes of pure, unaltered lust. And it’s all for her. 

Because she’s beautiful. 

Absolutely stunning. 

Those crazed looks of hunger amongst the crowd help remind her of that. 

However, tonight, her focus is drawn elsewhere for perhaps the first time ever. 

A woman walks into the club halfway through Cheryl’s set. 

One she’s never seen before, one that has hair like bubblegum and an aroma like lavender fields. 

It only takes one look for Cheryl to know this woman is _sickening_. 

But Cheryl’s always adored the clinical taste of cherry flavoured medicine. 

The woman, unlike most patrons, is quickly greeted at the door by Reggie. His expression is much too serious and much too hard as he speaks to her. 

Cheryl hates the way the woman’s eyes focus on the man in front of her. 

They’re just about the only pair of eyes not on her at this very moment. 

And it makes Cheryl feel so _ugly_. 

Cheryl abruptly ends her set right then and there, and loud sounds of displeasure erupt from the crowd as she does. 

But she couldn’t bring even one tiny piece of herself to care. 

They’re just a bunch of pigs, the whole lot of them, spineless, brainless, filthy animals who stare upon her _ugly_ body and mock her. 

And that just wouldn’t do. 

— 

Cheryl’s sitting back at her vanity, and her fingers pluck the red ribbon out her music box that sits there. 

She quickly ties the ribbon around her neck, a flawless bow resting slightly off centre against her pale throat. How pretty. 

She’s slowly beginning to feel like the absolute gift that she is once again, complete with the bow to prove it. 

A knock at the door is then heard, and Cheryl takes a deep, calming breath, before calling out, “Come in!” 

“Cheryl,” Reggie greets her quietly, as both him and _that_ woman enter the dressing room. 

And, finally, she has the cotton candy girl’s attention. 

Oh, how intoxicatingly lavish it feels to have her eyes. 

Right where they belong. 

Cheryl’s never felt prettier. 

“Uh, this is detective Toni Topaz,” Reggie raises a hand to rub the back of his neck somewhat awkwardly, “Veronica mentioned her to you, right?” 

“Indeed,” Cheryl grins. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Blossom,” her raspy voice politely greets, “If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask you a few questions.”

“I don’t mind one bit,” Cheryl blinks her pretty eyes, and then feels her entire heart burst into flames of ecstasy as Toni subtly swallows and pushes her thighs closer together. 

How precious, another adoring fan for Cheryl to add to her vastly growing collection. 

“Great,” Toni nods. 

“I’ll give you two some privacy,” Reggie announces before exiting the room with nothing more than the sound of the door clicking shut behind him. 

Toni walks further into the room, getting straight to business as she says, “Ms Blossom—“ 

“Cheryl,” she quickly corrects, hating the way the name Blossom leaves a ringing in her ears. 

“Cheryl,” Toni repeats, a small smile touching her lips as she does. 

Much better, Cheryl thinks. 

The ringing in her ears turns to sweet silence. 

“I’d like to ask you some questions about Ms. Heather Jacobs, Reggie tells me the two of you were close.” 

Well now that, Cheryl doesn’t like as much. 

Toni talks much to careful, as if she’s handling shards of glass that could easily slice through her skin if she’s not paying attention. 

Cheryl would prefer if Toni embrace the glass, squeeze her hand tightly around one crystal clear shard, and let the blood that follows tell her all the secrets she wishes to know. 

“We weren’t close,” Cheryl tells her, wrapping her hand around the arm of her chair as a means to prevent her from reaching out and learning what Toni Topaz’s skin feels like under soft fingertips. 

The detective furrows her brows as she digests the change in information. 

“You weren’t?” 

“We fucked,” Cheryl bluntly replies, “But put that aside, and I hardly knew her.” 

“Right,” Toni carefully nods. 

There she goes again. 

_Take a risk, Topaz._

Careful people make Cheryl want to jump off a building. 

“Well, do you have any idea how her head showed up on the doorstep of this club not more than four nights ago?” 

Now they were getting somewhere. Maybe. 

“If I had to guess, I’d say it’s because she was murdered, detective,” Cheryl innocently smiles up at the woman. 

Toni raises one eyebrow, leaning down slightly to bring herself closer to Cheryl’s face. 

“Believe it or not, I’ve actually already gathered that much,” She deadpans. 

Cheryl hums, “You must be very good at your job.” 

Toni only sighs, straightening back up before moving on, “How about suspects? Do you know who would want to do something like this to her? Did she have any enemies?” 

Cheryl places a finger on her chin as she pretends to be deep in thought over the question. 

“It could have been anyone. I mean, you have noticed our line of work, haven’t you? Perhaps she wasn’t willing to give a little extra to some egotistical lowlife, so he waited around for her shift to end and killed her.” 

Toni considers the theory for a few seconds. 

“It’s possible,” she eventually speaks, “But it was quite a brutal killing for something that sudden, not to mention, the rest of her body still hasn’t been found.” 

Cheryl huffs quite loudly before swinging her legs over the chair and standing up. 

Dear god, was she ever bored. 

She hated Toni’s air of professionalism, her careful word choice, and strict focus. 

Cheryl wanted to have some fun. 

“Detective,” She starts slowly, coming to stand in front of the other woman with a dangerous glint in her eye, “Have you been to a strip club before?” 

Toni tenses somewhat, noticing the shift in conversation immediately. 

“Once or twice,” she honestly responds. 

Cheryl grins, “Did you like it?” 

“It was…fine.” 

Cheryl gives in to her inner desires, one hand coming to rest over Toni’s chest, the other woman letting a small gasp of surprise leave her lips from the action. 

“Cheryl—“ She begins to say, but the redhead beats her to the punch. 

“Only fine?” 

Toni squints her eyes at this dreadfully curious creature in front of her. 

Though, she couldn’t deny her utter charm and beauty. 

No one could ever do such a thing. 

Cheryl Blossom was your fantasy on legs. 

Everything about her was unforgivingly tempting. 

“What are you trying to do here, Cheryl?” Toni changes tactic, thinking that perhaps a more direct approach would be more effective. 

“Detective,” Cheryl all but purrs, inching her body closer and closer, watching the way Toni’s hands twitch at her sides as she fights off the urge to get her own feel of the flesh in front of her, “I only want to be of good assistance to you, so tell me, Toni,” she leans in even closer, red painted lips moving in right next to the other woman’s ear, “Tell me what I can do for you.” 

A low moan sounds from the back of Toni’s throat, and Cheryl decides that’s all she needs. 

She moves back, before roughly taking Toni’s lips in her own. 

Toni reciprocates without needing any further encouragement, hands flying up to grab Cheryl at her hips, and the redhead girl is quite impressed by her willingness to give into such urges so fast. 

Their kiss is anything but gentle, it’s entirely rushed and bruising, but Cheryl adores the taste of it’s coarseness. 

She hopes she’s left with many bruises in the shape of Toni’s lips this evening. 

Oh how pretty she’d be with Toni shaped bruises. 

—

When Cheryl awakes the next morning, it’s too the feeling of soft strands of hair tickling her shoulder, and pillowy lips planting their mark on her cheek. 

“Good morning,” Toni whispers, moving her lips down to kiss Cheryl’s jaw and then chin. 

Cheryl smiles, and for a second she almost thinks it may have been genuine. 

“Good morning,” she repeats. 

Toni sighs happily before plopping back down beside Cheryl, “You, Cheryl Blossom, are trouble.” 

She doesn’t even know the half of it. 

“But, pretty trouble?” Cheryl checks. 

Toni looks down at her with a well satisfied hum, “Gorgeous trouble.” 

And just like that, Cheryl feels a Toni induced frenzy surge through her whole body. 

She could get used to this. 

— 

Toni and Cheryl see much more of each other, as Toni spends the next two weeks living and breathing the club and it’s many personalities. 

Although easily distracted the first night she came here, there’s no denying that Toni takes her job very seriously. She’s been tasked by Reggie to figure out what exactly happened to Heather that one fateful night, and she has every intention of doing just that. 

Though, Cheryl loves to make her job as difficult as possible. 

A tempting little thing, she can be. Luring Toni away from her questioning with private lap dances, and halting her investigations with filthy promises whispered in her ears. 

Toni falls for it, because why wouldn’t she? 

You’d be a fool to be given a shiny diamond only to throw it away. And Cheryl sparkles like that of a thousand diamonds. 

Yet, the night comes that Cheryl makes one dreadful misstep. Too enamoured by the crowd and their prurient gawking of her, she momentarily loses track of her detective. 

Her greed got the best of her, her selfish, unclean desires led her to show weakness. Cheryl is always supposed to stay in control, to be one step ahead, to know everyone’s secrets that have been muddled in the murky waters of the human psyche. 

How gruesomely aberrant of her to forget. 

It’s later, that she learns Toni had snuck away to the dressing room alongside Ginger for questioning, and when they re-emerge from the room, Ginger is crying, and Toni’s hand is rubbing comforting circles on her back, while looking at her in delicate compassion. 

Oh no. 

No, no, no. 

Cheryl would be awfully upset if Ginger put her hands on _Cheryl’s_ things. 

She’s claimed this elegant mirage of strawberry kisses and electric touches for her own. The taste of Toni’s mouth after one too many cigarettes, the sound of her hoarse screams as her body writhes in pleasure, and the sight of one plump lip taken hostage by her teeth, are Cheryl’s bounties to enjoy, and hers alone. 

Had Ginger gotten even one bite of Cheryl’s luxuries, the redhead would surely lose her mind. 

— 

Veronica’s body enters autopilot as she stumbles back into the club, eyes wide and hands shaking. Reggie meets her in the hallway, confusion clear on his face as Veronica collapses into his chest and starts incoherently sobbing. 

“What is it?” He frantically asks her, Veronica pushing further into him with nothing but pure fear coursing through her veins. 

“It-It happened again.” 

A curse breathes past Reggie’s lips as he gently pulls Veronica away from him and rushes towards the back exit of the club. 

The door swings open, harshly hitting the side of the building with a loud bang, as Reggie takes one look at the blood stained steps, where Ginger’s head lays lifeless and still. 

“N-No,” he whispers, dropping to his knees, moving his hands up to the back of his neck. 

Veronica slowly comes up behind him, covering her mouth with her hand as the haunting look in Ginger’s still open eyes comes back into her view. 

“Reggie,” she places her other hand down on his shoulder and squeezes. 

He slowly turns his neck to look at her, and his eyes are glassy when he does. 

“Call Toni,” he simply tells her. 

Veronica quickly nods, leaving him with one last comforting squeeze before scurry off to retrieve her cellphone. 

Reggie looks back down at the head of yet another one of his girls, brutally killed and disfigured right under his nose. 

He feels the panic seize up in his chest the longer he just sits there and stares at the horrific sight. 

It wasn’t just a murder anymore, they have a serial killer on their hands. 

— 

Toni slips into the club at exactly 4:05am, there are dark bags under her eyes, and the heavy cloud of cigarette smoke that follows her is being poorly masked by the artificial aroma of lavender. 

Veronica is sitting at one of the tables, a blanket thrown over her shoulders and a hot mug of coffee being cupped by both hands. Reggie is stood behind her, gently rubbing his hands over her shoulders and back. 

Toni greets them quietly, the mood somber and still as she does. 

“She found her as she was leaving, just sitting there on the steps same as last time. It was almost an hour ago now,” Reggie explains stiffly. 

Toni nods along to his words, taking a few investigative glances around the club. 

“Anything seem off tonight? Any suspicious customers or occurrences?” Toni wonders, turning her attention to watch the couple closely. 

“N-No. Nothing out of the ordinary. We thought everything was fine, and then...then,” Reggie trails off, quiet for a moment, before suddenly an angry scoff leaves his lips and he turns to kick a leg of the table, resulting in a surprised squeak from Veronica. 

He’s breathing heavy, with both fists bunched up at his sides, as Toni calmy speaks, “Relax, Mantle. I told you I was going to solve this case, did I not?” 

“It’s not just some freak murder anymore!” Reggie loudly exclaims, looking at the detective with an almost crazed expression, “I have a damn serial killer going after my girls! Fuck! Maybe I do need to involve the police.” 

Veronica stands from her chair, walking towards Reggie and gripping both his forearms, “Reggie, you know what will happen if you do that.” 

Her deep brown eyes plead with his, as Reggie looks completely distraught over what to do. 

“Your lady is right,” Toni tells him, “You already covered up the first murder, you come clean now and you’re an accessory. Let me handle it, Mantle. You hired me for a reason, I need you to not forget that.” 

Reggie sighs deeply, softening a bit in Veronica’s grasp. He knows they’re right. These two convincing vixens at his side, whispering their promises with such rich and sticky voices. It’s too late to go back, they’ve all found themselves in this mess and it’s their job to clean it up.  
Reggie only nods, his heavy eyes conveying his agreement with the detective, before he slumps down in Veronica’s arms and hugs the other woman in defeat. 

“I’ll take care of her. I’ve got a guy at the coroner’s office, hopefully he can shed some light on what exactly happened here,” Toni announces to the pair, before swiftly making her way out back without another word. 

— 

Cheryl pinches the dial of her radio between two fingers, twisting it clockwise and allowing the music to flood through her apartment. 

She smiles wide as the smooth sounds reach her body, taking up residence right next to her eardrum. She closes her eyes in an almost bliss like state, moving to the center of the room and dancing without abandon. She let’s the music dictate how she moves, mind going blank, as the sweet sounds truly take over. 

Cheryl loves to dance, whether it’s on a stage, or in her living room. It’s a beautiful act, so primal and yet, so elegant. The perfect balance to appease the crazed wolf inside her, as well as the graceful swan. Dancing, may be one of the only times Cheryl does not feel at war with herself. 

She moves around the room, letting the lewd beat control the sensual move of her hips. Arms hugging her body, before lifting up in a rare moment of freedom. She can only imagine what real freedom must feel like. Not from a person, or a job, or a place, but the freedom one gains from disconnecting from their own mind. To let the inky sea of self-hatred and insecurity dry up, to taste the richness of indifference, to lay with a lover for no other reason but love. 

Dancing is as close as she gets. 

A knock sounds on the other side of her apartment door. 

She plans to ignore it. 

Most likely a neighbour complaining about the noise, or even worse, Veronica back to share another dry muffin and talk true crime with her. 

She plans to ignore it, until, 

“Cheryl?” 

The sweet rasp she so fondly adores. 

Cheryl scurries to answer it, opening the door to reveal Toni on the other side of it. 

Her smile widens like that of a wolf that just stumbled upon its next meal. 

Toni comes inside, moving past Cheryl, but not until she leans in and leaves a kiss on the redhead’s cheek. 

The simple act has Cheryl feeling on top of the world. 

“Hey baby, you should sit down, I have something to tell you,” Toni explains to her gently, entwining their hands as she leads Cheryl towards her kitchen table. Cheryl can’t help but frown at that. 

She thought Toni was here for afternoon sex and then maybe a smoke out on the balcony. She likes when Toni fucks her in the middle of the day, fucking at night makes her feel like a dirty little secret, but fucking in broad daylight makes her feel like something worth showing off.

They take their seats, and Toni squeezes Cheryl’s hand tighter when they do. 

Her eyes are soft, and filled with something akin to guilt, as she says, “Another one of the girls was murdered last night. Ginger’s dead. Veronica found her in the exact same way you found Heather.” 

Cheryl hums, finding the news quite disinteresting. 

“And?” 

Toni looks somewhat confused, taking a moment to process Cheryl’s nonchalance, before slowly continuing, “You need to be careful, we don’t know when or if this person will come back for more. I’m going to do everything I can to protect you, but in the meantime, I don’t want you leaving the club alone, ok?” 

Cheryl stands from her seat, shuffling forward and dropping herself right in Toni’s lap. 

Toni looks up at her in surprise, but that doesn’t last long, because she’s quickly giving in to an expression full of her desires. 

“Whatever you say, detective,” Cheryl purrs with a suggestive glint in her eye, and just like that, the two simultaneously surge forward, lips melding together perfectly. 

A mess of bites and licks and moans then follow, Toni ripping Cheryl’s shirt off to gain access to such perfect, milky flesh that lies underneath. 

Toni suddenly stands, her chair falling on it’s side when she does. She grips Cheryl at her thighs, easily carrying the girl as she leads them to the other woman’s bedroom. 

Cheryl giggles as she’s carried away. 

Looks like she’ll get her afternoon sex, afterall. 

She always gets what she wants. 

— 

Reggie’s grip is much too tight around a clear glass of whiskey, as he sits at the bar inside his closed club, and drinks until his face feels numb. 

The sticky liquor that’s coating the inside of his throat won’t bring those girl’s back, but it sure as hell helps him forget that two people died under his watch. 

Reggie doesn’t know how he’s supposed to go on like this, he can’t even get through the night without looking into the eyes of every man and woman that walks through the front door, and wondering if they’re the monster that took those girl’s heads. 

The killer could be walking in and out as they please, could be someone he’s spoken too, someone he’s laughed with, shared a drink with, god forbid someone’s he’s fucked. They could be anyone, and that’s what has Reggie feeling on the verge of death himself as he sloppily pours another glass. 

Veronica walks into the room, she’s still wearing a sexy one piece from her set earlier, not bothering to change as the club closed for the night, and her and Reggie stayed back as always. 

They live and breathe this club. The rest of the city treating it as a simple rest stop on their ever growing journeys, while the two of them knew this place was the best end destination they were ever going to get. It’s why it’s so important it’s not taken away from them. 

City council has been sniffing out ways to shut them down for years, but Reggie and Veronica have done a good job at keeping their image squeaky clean, and their dubious affairs well hidden from prying eyes. They’ve worked hard for this place, and put their heart and soul into this tiny gem of a club. They couldn’t let this setback erase all those tiresome years, _Reggie_ couldn’t. 

Veronica wanted to help remind him. 

She takes her time walking towards the bar where Reggie sits in a puddle of his own self pity and one too many whiskey spills. 

He’s drunk off his ass, drunk enough to not even notice as Veronica flits up to the bar. 

She puts one hand on his chest, and another on the glass in his hand, carefully prying it away from him. 

Reggie slurs his objections, roughly reaching for the glass once more, and Veronica has no choice but to let him as his strength, even when highly intoxicated, overpowers her. 

“Reggie, please, haven’t you had enough?” She tries coaxing, watching with a wince as Reggie lifts the glass back up to his lips for more. 

“Don’t you try to tell me when I’ve had enough,” he counters without the clearest of speech, but glaring firmly at the woman by his side. 

Veronica sighs, “Reggie, honey, you can’t go on like this.” 

The man scoffs into his glass. 

“Two girls are dead, Veronica!” 

She lowers her gaze as tears prick the corner of her eyes. 

“I...I k-know that, Reggie.” 

Reggie yells in frustration, lifting himself from the barstool and throwing his glass across the room letting it shatter against the wall, and breaking into tiny shards that fall to the ground. 

“Two girls are _dead_ ,” he whimpers, head falling into his hands as his whole demeanour weakens at just the very realization. 

Veronica lets the tears fall as she gently envelops Reggie in her arms, holding the man close as he starts to moan and cry in her shoulder. 

“Two girls,” is all Reggie manages to get out, uttering the words over and over again as Veronica is unable to do anything but hold him. 

“We...we won’t let it happen again, Reggie. Toni will get to the bottom of this, and.. and all of the girls are being extra cautious now, it won’t happen again.” 

Veronica isn’t sure who the words are trying to fool, but they both know that’s all they are. A lazy trick played on the ears to incentivize reassurance, no such relief is possible though. They aren’t safe, they don’t have this under control, they’re in danger every minute they stand in this club. It’s neon lights and cum stained couches offering no such solace that they seek. 

“We should close for awhile,” Reggie sniffs, the unfavourable idea heavy in his mind, as he knows it’s the right thing to do. 

“No!” Veronica quickly exclaims, the very thought burning a hole in her heart. 

“Yes!” Reggie bellows back, ripping himself away from Veronica, and in a moment of anger he pushes her hard, watching as Veronica stumbles roughly against the bar, a cry of pain leaving her lips as she does. 

Reggie is filled with regret the minute it happens, his eyes widen in fear of what he just did. 

Veronica looks at him with heartbreaking betrayal, and she quickly straightens up and runs away to the dressing room in order to compose herself. 

Slamming the door shut behind her and leaning against it, Veronica takes a few deep breaths, as she tries to process what just happened. 

Reggie’s never laid a hand on her like that before. 

She doesn’t know what to do aside from cry. 

She sobs, brokenly and wildly sobs. It feels like a loose thread in the world around her has been found and pulled, spinning her reality out of control until eventually she’s left with nothing. The lives of two of her friends gone, the club threatened with extinction, and now Reggie figuratively and literally pushing her away. 

It’s all falling apart, and there’s nothing Veronica can do to stop it. The world is a cruel and unforgiving blender of chaos and unpredictability, and while one month ago Veronica felt a soaring happiness unlike ever before, today she feels nothing but the weight of crushing defeat. 

What she wouldn’t do to find the person who caused all of this. 

Heather’s killer, Ginger’s killer, her own metaphorical killer. 

It all started that day Heather’s head appeared on their doorstep with blood stained lips and the warning of what turmoil lies ahead in her cold eyes. 

Veronica knows if she could go back and catch whatever monster is responsible, she could stop her whole life from falling apart as it is now. 

She closes her eyes tightly as she wills her impending headache away. 

There’s nothing she can do. 

Absolutely nothing. 

When she re-opens her eyes, the first thing they land on is Cheryl’s vanity across the room. 

Although normally such a thing wouldn’t spark her interest, the sight of something unmistakably red sitting innocently atop the small table does. 

She goes to inspect it, confusion filling her mind as she notices the thin, red ribbon sprawled there. This is not the first time she’s seen the ribbon, it’s appearance was a frequent one on Heather’s neck. It was somewhat of her staple, to wear a red ribbon around her neck during performances. 

Veronica even remembers her wearing it the very last night of her life. 

She left the club with this thing tied around her neck, and her head came back to the club without it. 

Now, it was on Cheryl’s vanity. 

Oh god. 

Cheryl. 

Veronica mouth drops open in shock, as the truth finally shines through. 

— 

Cheryl and Toni’s legs are tangled together under the sheets, a happy sigh leaving Cheryl’s lips as she comes down from her incredible, post-orgasm high. 

Toni is looking down at her in a way that suggests Cheryl is the sole person responsible for hanging every single star in the sky. 

There’s a softness in her look that Cheryl’s never seen before, and it fills her with excitement. It’s more than lust, more than dirty fantasies coming to life behind hooded irises, Toni looks at her with something close to pure, untouched love. 

It’s magnificent. 

Cheryl wants to capture and preserve it until the day she dies. As she fears she’ll never come across it again. 

“You’re so beautiful,” Toni hums, and Cheryl shuffles her body closer, relishing in every ounce of praise that falls from Toni’s mouth. 

“I know we’ve only known each other for a few weeks, but you’ve already become so special to me, Cheryl,” she continues, rubbing one hand along Cheryl’s naked back. 

“As have you,” Cheryl easily responds.

“I want to be more than your fuck buddy,” Toni then says, catching Cheryl’s eye and showing her nothing but the sincerity that lies within. 

Cheryl slowly slides one of her hands up Toni’s bare body, and finds some of the other woman’s bubblegum pink hair to play with. 

“Really?” Cheryl asks unsurely, like she can’t believe it, like she’s positive Toni is nothing more than a pleasure induced illusion, speaking the language of diluted hopes and dreams to her. 

“Really,” Toni happily sighs, “Be my girlfriend, Cheryl Blossom?” 

Oh, and how pretty she’d be as Toni Topaz’s girlfriend. 

An offer like that is one she can’t refuse, not now, not in a million years. 

She lifts herself up, only to fall on top of the other woman, kissing her sloppily as Toni wraps her arms around her and giddly laughs. 

“I’ll take that as a yes?” 

“I’ll be yours, if you’ll be mine.” 

Toni rolls them over, hovering above Cheryl with such adoration as she solicits pretty squeals and moans out of the redhead from the way her mouth travels over her upper half. 

“I will happily be yours,” Toni grins, and then dives back in for a good taste of Cheryl’s pulse point. 

They are filled with nothing but complete ecstasy in that moment, bodies on fire, and the feel of the flames so closely resemble the feel of each other’s hands. 

There’s nothing they’d trade for this, nothing they’d be tempted with away from this, nothing they’d-- 

A phone rings. 

Toni’s phone rings, and the two of them groan at the interruption. 

She lazily grabs her phone and checks the caller id, sighing but relenting as she sees Veronica’s name, and knows she has to answer. 

Toni leans down and pecks Cheryl right on her nose, before rolling away and taking the call, much to the both of their dismay. 

Cheryl watches her closely as Toni begins speaking. 

She can’t exactly make out Veronica’s words, but she catches the way Toni’s demeanour changes dramatically through the duration of the call. 

Cheryl feels a dangerous anger crawl up her spine the longer Toni’s attention is away from her. Veronica already has the eyes of that buffoon, Reggie, did she really need Toni too!? 

The longer the call went on, the uglier Cheryl started to feel. 

How could such elation so quickly turn to buzzing irritation. 

Toni tensed beside her, casting one sneaky glance towards her, but this time it was not one of unmatchable love, but one that almost resembles...fear? 

Well that wouldn’t do. 

That wouldn’t do one bit. 

How dare Veronica ruin such a beautiful moment, how dare she taint it with her ugly lies and greedy interests. 

When Toni finally ends the call, she shoots Cheryl a regretful look before she stands from the bed and starts collecting her sprawled out clothes. 

“Where are you going?” Cheryl appears calm as the question leaves her lips, although a monster was currently clawing at her ribcage, desperate to break free and take what she’s rightfully owed, she keeps her ever present smile on her lips as she addresses her _girlfriend_. 

Toni messily pulls her jeans on as she apologetically speaks, “Veronica needs my help with something at the club, it’s not a big deal, she just thinks she found something that will help the case. I’ll come back later, alright?” 

No, it’s not alright. 

Cheryl can tell she’s lying. 

She’s excellent at reading people. 

She knows when people want her, and she knows when people don’t. 

And right now, Toni _doesn’t_ , and it makes her furious. 

She’s probably leaving her to go fuck Veronica instead, Cheryl’s sure of it. 

“Alright,” she smiles, “Give me a kiss before you go?” 

Toni softens a little, moves back over to the bed, now fully dressed, and leans in, cupping Cheryl’s cheek before kissing her deeply. 

“I’ll see you soon,” she whispers against Cheryl’s lips, before just like that, she disappears. 

Cheryl counts out 180 seconds in her head, before jumping up from the bed, pulling on her own clothes, and following Toni to the club.  
— 

“Slow down, Veronica,” Toni grips the frantic girl’s shoulders, trying to get her calm enough that Toni can at the very least understand what she’s saying. 

“The ribbon!” Veronica shouts, waving the red ribbon in front of Toni’s face as if it’s supposed to answer all of her questions. 

“What about the ribbon, Veronica?” Toni slowly asks, taking the object from Veronica and looking over the seemingly ordinary ribbon. 

“It was _Heathers_ ,” Veronica reveals, “She wore it the night she died, but it wasn’t on her neck when we found her, no, instead, I found it with _Cheryl’s_ things!” 

Toni furrows her brows as she grips the silk ribbon a little tighter. 

“What are you trying to say?” 

Veronica stares right into her eyes with deadly sincerity, “I’m saying Cheryl is the one who killed those girls.” 

Toni scoffs, “Veronica, you don’t know--” 

“Toni!” The other woman loudly interjects, “It all makes sense! Cheryl is next level crazy, ok? She was in love with Heather, but Heather didn’t love her back, so she killed her! And Ginger, Cheryl’s always hated Ginger! I’m telling you, Toni, I know it’s her! She didn’t even seem to care about their deaths, doesn’t that ring any bells? We were stupid for not seeing it sooner!” 

“Ok, ok, calm down, Veronica,” Toni pockets the ribbon as her hands go back to Veronica’s shoulders. She was entering full blown panic mode at this point. 

“Just calm down, take a deep breath,” Toni directs, nodding encouragingly as Veronica obeys. 

“Toni, we have to do something,” Veronica shakily speaks, but Toni only shushes the other woman as she continues rubbing comforting circles over her shoulders. 

“Where’s Reggie, have you told him about this?” Toni asks instead. 

Veronica shakes her head no, “I think he went home, he was drunk off his ass, and we got into a fight I think, I don’t really know, but we haven’t spoken since.” 

“Alright, good, that’s good,” Toni distractedly responds. 

Veronica squints in confusion, “Wait, why is that go--” 

“Can you just wait here for a second. I’m going to get something from my car, just wait here, and then we’ll talk about what we’re going to do,” Toni cuts her off, looking at Veronica carefully to make sure she understands.

“Yeah, sure, but Toni we can’t let Cheryl hurt anymore people,” she starts to cry, gripping Toni’s jacket desperately. 

She needed the madness to end.  
This month of hell couldn’t be allowed anymore fuel to burn. 

“Shhh, I know, I know. We won’t let that happen, Veronica. Just give me one second,” Toni softly reasurres, before pulling Veronica’s hand away from her. 

“Ok, ok, we won’t let it happen,” Veronica mumbles, more to herself than anything. 

Toni nods and slowly moves away, ducking out through the back exit as Veronica continues to shake and mumble to herself. 

— 

When Toni reappears, it’s with a shiny axe in her hand. 

Veronica looks at her, fear flooding onto her face as suddenly her whole body freezes. 

“Toni, w-what are you doing?” 

She smiles at the question, taking a few steps closer, the axe dragging behind her. 

Veronica lays victim to her own body, not finding it in her to move even an inch. She’s completely still even if her heartbeat is racing faster in her chest with every step Toni takes. 

Toni chuckles, looking at the all too naive girl in front of her with nothing but amusement. 

“You should have kept your mouth shut, Veronica,” Toni tsks, coming to a stop only a couple feet away from the terrified girl. 

“I-I...I don’t...understand,” Veronica stutters, wide eyes moving back and forth from Toni and the weapon she carries behind her. 

“I can’t have you slandering my baby’s good name,” Toni frowns then, a disappointed look crossing over her features, “I’ll admit, I originally wasn’t going to hurt you, with you so grossly infatuated with that boyfriend of yours, I didn’t think you’d ever be a problem. But, I thought wrong.” 

Veronica frantically shakes her head, her entire body becoming overwhelmed with a million emotions at once. None of this made sense, none of this made any goddamn sense. 

She opens and closes her mouth again and again, looking for the right words to say, the right questions to ask, looking for anything at all. 

“I still don’t...I d-don’t...,” The confused rambles are the only thing Veronica manages to let past her lips. 

Toni sighs deeply, stalking closer to Veronica as she does. 

“Cheryl didn’t kill those girls, Veronica. I did. I took this very axe to both their heads, and well, now, I’m going to do the same to you,” she finishes with a grin, lifting the weapon in order to cradle it delicately in both hands. Her little prized possession. 

Veronica cries, because there’s nothing else she can think to do. Her tears run rapidly down her cheeks as she stares at Toni in disgust and heartbreak and anger and...so many things. 

“ _Why_?” She asks. 

“Because,” Toni growls, “They were a threat to my girl. I’ve been around this club a lot longer than you know, Veronica. I’ve been watching over this place for months, silently lurking in the shadows, and while doing so, something caught my eye. This _beautiful_ , precious little thing named Cheryl Blossom. At first I kept my distance, diligently observing her and protecting her from afar, but I reached somewhat of a breaking point after watching _Heather_ lay her unworthy hands on my girl one too many times. She had to be disposed of, I couldn’t have my baby’s perfect skin tainted by her filth any longer. Getting the P.I. gig was easy after that, your boyfriend is dumb as rocks, it didn’t take much to convince him I was the answer to all his prayers. Once I secured that there wouldn’t be any _real_ investigators digging around here, I was free to start pursuing a relationship with Cheryl, all while ensuring no one else posed a threat to what was quickly transpiring between us. As for that Ginger bitch, she talked much too poorly of my girl, during her questioning session I had to listen to her drone on and on about how much of a monster she thought my little angel was, and do you really think I could have someone running around spreading lies like that? And now...now that leaves you, dragging Cheryl’s name through the mud all over your dumb, _wrong hunch_. I won’t allow that.” 

“You’re fucking insane,” Veronica cries, not believing a word of what she just heard. 

All along, the real culprit of these murders had been the woman they entrusted to solve them? How could they have been so foolish, how could they have not seen the truth staring back at them every single night, how could they have not sooner realized the lies being spoon fed to them by the killer herself. 

Toni chuckles, “Love makes us do the craziest things, doesn’t it?” 

No. 

Fuck this. 

Veronica couldn’t let herself die like this, at the hands of a psychotic axe murderer, and right after finally uncovering the truth. Oh god, and Reggie. Reggie still believed Toni was here to help, that she was their friend, He’d find Veronica’s lifeless body only to probably cry in the arms of the woman responsible. It was too cruel a fate, one Veronica couldn’t allow to happen. 

With a surge of pure adernall entering her veins, Veronica harshly kicks Toni in the shin, causing the woman to double over, and giving Veronica the opening to run past her. She runs as fast as her legs will carry her, ducking away from Toni and down the hall that leads to the back exit. 

Toni curses loudly from behind her, and Veronica knows she’s gained the upper hand. Toni didn’t expect her to jump into action like this. She can make it. She just has to get outside, if she can’t get out to the main street and start yelling and making noise, there’s no way Toni will continue coming after her. Veronica’s going to make it, she’s truly going to make it, this nightmare will finally end, she’s free, she’s-- 

Cheryl enters through the back door, door clicking shut behind her as she comes to stand right in front of it, effectively trapping Veronica inside. 

“No,” Veronica whispers, eyes widening fearfully. 

“Hey, baby,” Toni smiles wide, appearing at the other side of the hallway, leaving nowhere for Veronica to run, she’s stuck in the middle of two very different monsters. 

“I should have known you’re too curious to stay put,” Toni fondly chuckles. 

Cheryl hums in response, eyes trailing over the scene in front of her. Toni casually holding an axe over her shoulder, while Veronica looks truly frozen in terror, eyes wide and almost pleading with Cheryl, her face a total mess of tears and ruined makeup. 

Ugly. 

“What’s the axe for?” Cheryl asks, leaning her back against the door. 

“I know I should have told you sooner, babygirl. But I didn’t want my...protective nature to scare you off before we really got to know each other,” Toni explains almost sheepishly, the sight truly bewildering to Veronica. 

Cheryl raises one brow, “You killed Heather and Ginger?” 

“Guilty,” Toni responds with a shrug and a smirk.

Cheryl looks impressed. 

Veronica cries harder. 

“Cheryl, please, please you have to help me, it’s not too late. You can’t listen to her, she’s crazy, she killed our friends! But you can put a stop to it, you can stop it, Cheryl, you can stop it,” Veronica begs, and they all know it’s her life she’s pleading for. 

And she’s right. 

Cheryl does have the power to stop it. 

But why, would she ever want to? 

One simple look shared between Cheryl and Toni is all it takes for Toni to start walking forward. 

Veronica’s sobs turning to screams as she drops to her knees. 

She screams and screams and screams, and the screams don’t stop until Toni’s axe makes contact. 

Blood splatters against the walls and over Toni’s clothes and face. It takes two swings for Veronica’s head to truly separate from her body. Cheryl watches the scene unfold in front of her with inapt attention, head tilted slightly, eyes void of any genuine emotion. 

When Toni’s finished, she drops her weapon at her side, not sparing the scene in front of her another thought as she steps over Veronica’s body and rushes to Cheryl. 

She smiles wide as she embraces the girl, picking her up and spinning her around a couple times before dropping her back on her feet. 

“I did it for you,” Toni beams, “It’s all for you.” 

Cheryl cups Toni’s bloodied face in both her hands, giving her a look of such raw affection. No one’s ever done anything for her. No one’s ever cared so deeply or so strongly for her. 

Toni is a gift from the heavens, a reward for Cheryl’s impressive good behaviour over the last year. She’s sure of it. No such treasure falls into your hands, otherwise. Toni is her cotton candy dreamboat, too good to be true, and yet, standing right in front of her. 

“You must really like me,” Cheryl teases, moving her arms around Toni’s shoulders and pushing her body closer to the woman. 

“You don’t know the half of it,” Toni sighs, resting her forehead against Cheryl’s, the both of them taking a moment to just enjoy the feel of their bodies melding together. 

They must have been made to fit so flawlessly. 

Toni then remembers something, her hand moving away from Cheryl to enter her jacket pocket instead. She pulls out the red ribbon, and Cheryl’s eyes light up when she does. Wordlessly, Toni gently slides the ribbon around Cheryl’s neck, tying it off with a perfect bow, smiling at her work once it’s done. 

“Let me take you away from here,” Toni breathes. 

“To where?” Cheryl asks. 

“To anywhere,” Toni shrugs, “Just you and me, we can get in my car right now, and never look back at this city or anyone in it. Let me give you that, Cheryl, let me give you a taste of freedom.” 

How tempting. 

The very thought squirms through Cheryl’s defenses and burrows right into her heart. Candy coloured visions of Toni and her on the open road, kissing and fucking and dancing, invade her mind. 

“Come on, Cher, just say yes,” Toni pleads, leaning in and kissing Cheryl with the promise of infinity on her lips. 

“Just say yes,” she whispers, lips disconnecting with a pop, Toni holding onto Cheryl like the girl is her very life support. 

Cheryl kisses her again, because she wasn’t quite done with the taste of cigarettes and bubblegum, but when she pulls away this time, it’s with a huge grin, and the word, “Yes,” tumbling from her mouth. 

— 

Toni and Cheryl drive away from the life they once knew, hands entwined over the center console, music blaring through the speakers, Cheryl moving her body to it’s rhythm the best she can from the passenger seat. 

They have nothing with them aside from a couple packed bags that were thrown in the backseat. 

Veronica’s body has been long since dumped in the Hudson river, her head left at the club for Reggie to find and further muddle his deteriorating sanity. 

There’s nothing left for them at the club. 

Nothing left for them anywhere. 

All they needed were each other. 

Cheryl was right about Toni. 

That woman truly is one sickening creature. 

Her very presence makes Cheryl sick with adoration and infatuation, her kisses so rich and lavish, her body so soft and forgiving. 

It’s like nothing she’s ever felt before. 

She feels a drowsy high from just being in her arms. 

“Hey, Toni?” She asks, head tilting towards the other girl. 

Toni squeezes her hand, “Yeah, baby?” 

“Am I pretty?” Cheryl’s lip turn to a pout. 

Toni lifts their conjoined hands to her lips and kisses the back of Cheryl’s, leaving a smudge of lip gloss as proof of her affections. 

“You’re gorgeous, the prettiest thing i’ve ever seen,” Toni promises. 

Cheryl grins, and turns her attention back to the music playing from the radio. 

She feels beautiful again. 

So, so beautiful.

**Author's Note:**

> feel free to drop a kudos or a comment if you liked it.  
> my tumblr: @cheryl-in-a-barrel  
> my twitter: @toninabarrel


End file.
